The Arkansaw traveler., 1887-07-16

laws, and perhaps justice, were against Fels. He decided to retire at once and let the opposing parties decide their own differences.
 "Gentlemen," he said sternly, for pride would not permit him to change his tone too quickly, "Feis has five half breed sons, just returned from the Indian reservation. They will make serious trouble if you remain"
 "Look V herew cried a hoarse voice behind Calbeck. An eighth man, hitherto unseen, thrust his head and shoulders through the folds of the covered wagon. He was a person of massive build and positive demeanor. He pointed toward the hills and said only one word more, that expressive frontier mandate, "Gst!"
 The significant tone warned Call beck to obey. Startled and humili- ated, he moved off toward the brown buttes.
 A voice called after: "We. don't want any renegades in this camp. Fellows who favor half- breeds better go on the reservation and livcw
 Calbeck hurried on without retort. The rise of the uplands began only a furlong away. He had reached the irregular slopes at the foot of the hills when Fels appeared on an eminence beyond with his four sons, mounted and armed. Fels raised his clenched hand and shouted, in Chinook jargon, to his recent guest, "Klat-awal"
 Calbeck stopped, perplexed by this warning. In his eagerness to mediate he had made unnecessary enemies of both parties. Perplexities deepened into alarm a minute later, when the fifth half breed son appeared sud- denly, far up the valley, at the head of band of Indians, and simultane- ously row of mounted natives, pie turesquely clad in gay blankets and buff buckskins, appeared in file against the brilliant morning sky upon the summit of the butte before him.
 It was evident that the half breeds had come that morning from some near camp upon the reservation, and, at the summons of Fels' son, had sal lied forth to help their friends.
 They were not in war costume, but each savage bore weapons. Erect and stalwart they appeared, band of "Chief Moses Indians," in striking contrast with the squalid Spokanes and other inferior tribes which Cal beck had seen.
 The curator's first instinct was to get out of sight. As he ran down into clump of sarvis bushes near, he glanced back. The whites were tumbling their effects into the wagon, and harnessing their wheel horses.
 Soon a series of wild yells echoed from the hills, followed by rifle shots. Then came volley from the wagon. Calbeck knew at once that the whites bore superior arms, as the louder re- ports denoted cartridges of longer range
 For two hours there was a steady fusilade. Then the sounds of combat grew distant. The wagon of the whites was moving deliberately off, its clustered defendants driving their assailants before them. Curious to learn the extent of their casualties, Calbeck crawled up the side of the butte and cautiously peered above its summit. The Indians were scattered far along the heights, lying low and shooting with rapidity. The whites were following the trail under shelter of the cottonwoods, reserving their fire.
 While he looked bullet took him in the wrist. The nervous shock felled him to the earth, and a distant, eager yell arose.
 The young man heard this yell and divined its deadly import. He knew his scalp would soon be sought for. Abandoning his field-glass and his gun loaded with dust-shot, he crawled back down the slope, and bounded off into ravine.
 Running to the first bend, he hur- ried up a tributary swale, thence into a third gully, and there he lay down in the sage brush. Here he bound up his bleeding wrist and waited notion less.
 Twenty minutes later patient sav- age, bearing knife and rife, appeared in the gully and beat up the sage patches thoroughly in search of the fugitive. He came within a rod of Calbeck's silent nest, but happily did not discover him, and presently de- parted. The shots echoed farther and farther away, and, by mid-afternoon, were no longer audible; but Calbeck dared not move yet, and did not stir until darkness came.
 The night was cloudy and all the stars obscured when, at last, the young man arose in the sage brush for flight. He was weak from loss of blood and want of food. AS we'll as he could guide his course by the heavy skv ha 1